The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-04-20
GAZING AT CORPSES.
a QUINTET OF LADIES IN A SAN
FRANCISCO MEDICAL COLLEGE.

FRANCISCO MEDICAL COLLEGE.
Brave Schoolgirls In Search of Anatomi-
cal MISUNDERSTANDING the Horrors of
the Dissecting ROOm-In No Hurry to
Go Away.
The sad eyed janitor of the Cooper
Medical college was carefully picking a
handsome cadaver the other afternoon,
when his work was interrupted by the
appearance of four bright eyed, rosy
checked damsels and lady, who, though
slightly out of her teens, has lost none of
the charms of young womanhOOd. AS the
five approached the ianitor threw cloth
over the pickle vat and in some surprise
asked the young ladies what they wanted.
I'VE have come to See-We want to see,
you know-well, we have come to look at
the college, said the eldest of the four
girls, blushing frightfully and contem-
plating the cracks in the floor with great
earnestness. But, my dear young lady,
this is er-dead bodies" said the janitor,
very much embarrassed. The young ladies
looked at each other, and a painful silence
enSued, until the first speaker produced
letter from a leading physician and
member of the college faculty, ordering
the janitOr to show the girls around the
place ''This settles it, said the janitor,
but he shook his head obviously, as with
slow, protesting steps and niggardliness
of welcome, he introduced some show
specimens to their notice ''They will be
bx4Si2g q kindergarten here next, to give
the S15Asc0 object lessons III anatomy"
gruIhrie aalikhe articulator of skeletons, as
he carefully killed fly which was brows-
ing on the occipital bone of a late decd
ent ''But it is all right; if the faculty
can stand it, / can"
ON KNOWLEDGE BENT.
The young ladies meanwhile made the
most of their time and inspected carefully
the anatomical wonders which the physi-
clan ordered laid open to them. Such an
unusual thing as the visit of four young
girls to such place naturally attracted
notice, and it was stated that the girls
were part of a class in one of the public
schools and their chaperone was their class
teacher. This was found to be correct,
and the teacher admitted that she had in
troduced object lessons in anatomy as a
course for girls after school hours. One
of the studies laid down this year is fe-
male physiology, and during the course OF
one of the teachers lectures she remarked
that she had gazed upon the spinal col
umn of a man once, and it was as large as
her thumb, which she would not have
credited without actual sight.
The girls were amazed and their curioS
ity was aroused. If their teacher had
viewed the remains of a corpse why should
not they? was their modest Interrogation.
Some of them have an ambition to be-
come noted members of the medical fra
ternity. and as the books had not arrived
from the east, and not chart or anything
that would give them authentic infOrma
ton was in their possession, they held a
hasty consultation and decided to visit the
medical college. They asked the teacher
to accompany them. She, anxious to as
sist them in their research for knowledge.
willingly gave her consent.
TOOK 1T ALL IN.
The instructions to the janitor were
final and told him what rooms to show
them through They passed from one
room to anot her, expressing their delight
and satisfaction as they beheld objects
which were of uncommon interest, and
mysteries were raised. II guess you will
not want TO 90 in here said the janito1
as thew came to the dissecting room
Are they cutting up any one?' asked the
Oldest GIRL modestly, while the teacher
held back. repenGing that she had left heI
boarding house. The janitor informed
them that operations in that room were
suspended for the present, and the young
ladies' said they would go in.
No - exclaimed the teacher with ami
nation. ssthere might be subject in there
in a high state of decomposition But
the girls thought that not to visit this de-
partment would spoil the feature of the
trip and they went in. On marble slab
was a magnificent specimen of femininity,
and just opposite was an Adonis in the
sleep of the blest, ready for the cruel cary
inc of the dissecting knife. The sight |
was one that would cast terror into the
hearts of the superstitious if viewed on
dark night, but the young ladies beheld
She anatomical wonders with interested |
and marked composure. On these OBJ
jects their eyes became entranced, and it |
was with some physical effort that their
teacher encouraged them to leave the dis |
secting parlor and go into another room
where complete assortment of medical
bric-a-brac could be seen in glass lars. |
Since visiting the museum of natural |
wonders the young ladies feel much en-
Outraged and have taken up the new study
with fresh energy. James Harvie in
Pioneer Press
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